Clear Channel Will Leave Covington

Clear Channel will no longer have a presence in Covington, Ky., probably by the end of the year, according to a report by the Cincinnati Post. The group plans to close its office, which was once its radio division headquarters. The city and the broadcaster earlier were involved in a lawsuit over tax payments, according to press reports at that time; the tax matter was settled in April when the broadcaster paid the city $196,000. Now it appears the company will cut remaining ties. "About 25 jobs - all that remain from a corporate office that once had about 60 employees - will be moving to Cincinnati," the Post said, quoting Dave Crowl, senior vice president of radio for the Midwest division of Clear Channel Communications. The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. From 1999 until mid-2002 the office was Clear Channel's radio nerve center. "But the office began to lose its lofty status and most of its top executives after the controversial Randy Michaels was replaced as the CEO of Clear Channel's radio division in July 2002," the paper reported. Clear Channel's Cincinnati presence has much to do with Jacor Communications' presence there. It acquired Jacor, led by Michaels, in 1999.